


One More Night

by the-canary (siruru)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Avengers Family, Awkward Crush, Awkward Romance, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Denial of Feelings, Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings Realization, Friends to Lovers, Inspired by Music, Light Angst, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, New Year's Eve, New Year's Fluff, Secret Santa, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 19:51:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17250320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siruru/pseuds/the-canary
Summary: What were you supposed to give a man you didn’t know that well?





	One More Night

**Author's Note:**

> this is for @buckychrist ‘s holiday writing challenge. either the last of the year or the first fic for some people. christmas was last week, but let’s keep it going a little while longer! thank you to the lovely @isavuu for brain storming with me <3 and happy new year’s everyone! 
> 
> Prompt: I got you for secret santa so now I have to buy a gift thats absolutely amazing but also hope you don’t find out its from me and it doesn’t reveal that i’m in love with you
> 
> Feedback is always welcomed.

Steve Rogers. Steve Rogers.

That is the name you pull out of your friends’ Secret Santa list at the beginning of the month. You try to stop yourself from groaning -- Bucky’s and Sam’s best friend, Tony’s business partner, the twins’ surrogate “dad” in their really bad dad jokes, Sharon’s sort-of ex.  

This is all the ways that you know Steve Rogers, but despite running in the same circle of friends for years -- you didn’t really know the man. He was quite and hardly ever talked to you, and it wasn’t for your lack of trying. When you were in a vicinity, he just ran for it or started talking to someone else, eventually you got the point that he wanted nothing to do with you, as sad as that made you feel.

But now -- now, that you had to give him a gift and you were at a loss in what to do.

* * *

 

_ Sam and Bucky’s combined laughter echos off the walls. _

_ “Why you finally got her after all these years!”  _

_ Steve groans as his best friends take joy in his sudden dilemma. He shakes his head before leaning into the leather of the booth. _

_ “What am I going to do?”  _

_ “Well, maybe you’ll finally---” _

* * *

 

You don’t know enough about Steve and you can’t really go to Sharon, since that would be a little weird, and asking wither Bucky or Sam would just give you away. So, you ask Nat to meet you for lunch outside of your work in the middle of December. Her green eyes twinkling as if she already knows what you are going to ask her, as she takes a sip of her Cafe Americano. 

“What is this about exactly?” she asks with certain coyness that makes you just a bit anxious. 

“I was wondering what you could about Steve,” you immediately respond, “I mean outside of what he does and somethings here and there, I really don’t know much about him. He really keeps to himself, ya know?”

“Yeah, I know,” she smiles a bit more before adding to underneath her breath so that you don’t notice as you dig into your lunch, “Though mainly around you though.”

“So, what can you tell me?”

* * *

 

_ “What would you like, Steve?” Wanda questions with a bright smile, as said anxious man brings out two pieces of paper.  _

_ “I just wanted to run this by you...for her present,” he admits softly, as Wanda’s eyes widen a considerable amount. She gaps at the name printed before she goes from looking at the pair of tickets to Steve, who just moves around awkwardly in the booth seat.  _

_ “Are these?” she pauses, remembering how you hadn’t stopped talking to her and Pietro about a certain event for months only to be disappointed that you couldn’t get tickets due to annoying website problems, “How did you even get these?”  _

_ “A friend in the marketing department,” Steve admits bashfully with a shrug as Wanda looks at him -- as she’s trying to read his mind before giving him a small smile.  _

_ “Well, I keep your secret for now, Rogers.” _

_ Wanda keeps smiling as Steve shakes his head, embarrassed and unsure of what to do next.   _

* * *

 

Nat gives you few details about the super secretive Steve, but she does tells you that even though he works with an advertising agency what he really loves to do is paint and visit museums when he can, which isn’t often enough -- his words, not hers. It’s then when you set about to work, looking to see if you can find what type of art Steve might enjoy or what he even focuses on. As you go through your list of friends, that is  when you begin to see -- the little spark of Steve Rogers that seems to shine in all of their lives. 

Steve seems to be the glue that holds everything together in your little circle of friends as you soon come to realize. He and Bucky knowing each other since childhood, meeting Sam and Nat in college (who brought in Clint, whom she has been dating since forever). He brought in Tony through work meetings and just sharing certain ideas in common, who in turn brought in Pepper (his now wife), Rhodey, and Sharon -- who had been dating Steve when you came in. 

You had joined this little group as an extension of the twins, Wanda had meet Steve through her internship a few years back (she would later bring in her boyfriend, Viz) and Pietro basically considered you another younger sister when you first meet back in college -- these two world collided and you had been part of it ever since. While, there were noticeable ages differences here and there, everyone was very supportive of the rest of the group -- milestones and birthdays were celebrated as a family. However, even family had fights sometimes, Sharon had thrown everyone into a tizzy when the all-American blond couple had broken up a few years back-- everyone seemed to have an opinion about the deterioration of their relationship, but you-- you were just trying to help. 

> _ “Hey Steve,” you were standing in front of his new apartment with a nervous smile, as blue eyes gave you a questioning look.  _
> 
> _ “Hey,” he starts off as he sees that you are carrying a large bag of food and other items, “I don’t mean to be rude, but can I help you with something?”  _
> 
> _ “I-I was just wondering if you wanted to have a night in,” you try your hardest not to stammer as he gives you soft smile, “You know movies, pizza. Just if you want to.” _
> 
> _ He scrutinizes you for a moment, wondering if you are just pitying him cause of the current situation at hand, but as you beam at him a shy smile with bright eyes -- Steve knows that you aren’t. He knew that you were a sweet gal from what he had seen from afar and knew you were just trying your best in a very confusing situation.  _
> 
> _ “Yeah, come in,” he states, opening the door a bit more as you nod and come in for one of the very best nights of your life.  _

It was only for a couple of weeks though that Steve and Sharon tried to make it work one last time and then Bucky and Sam proceeded to throw the man in a stream of unsuccessful dates, but you were sure --even if you never spoke again after that-- that you fallen for the man...just a little bit. 

And now, you wanted to lift his spirits, just a little bit. 

Thus, when you searched for just exactly who Steve liked in terms of modern day artists -- well, you knew with all your pitched pennies what person you had to call on in order to get it. 

“Hey Tony,” you call him one mid-December day, “I was wondering if you could do me a favor.”

* * *

 

_ To be completely honest, Steve had sought out those tickets with a blind determination because he knew how much she loved that band -- she spoke about them all the time with Pietro, he had caught her humming their songs and lyrics from time to time with a bright smile on her face. He wanted to make her happy, but he was unsure how much he would enjoy them especially since he was aiming to be the one to be with her that night of the concert.  _

_ He personally knew how damaging it could be to see someone dislike or worst be uninterested in something you loved, so he goes to  Pietro for musical advice -- as bad as that sounds coming from Bucky’s annoyed tirade.  _

_ “Mmmm, I’ll just tell you her favorite song,” the young man smiles, as if he already knows what Steve is seeking out, though the blond never lets a word out.   _

_ Steve is staring at the purple cover art with a bit of apprehension, he had heard some of Pietro’s music before, but as he presses play -- he soon finds himself humming along.  _

> _ The truth is that I fell in love with you _  
>  _ And now I don't know what to do _  
>  _ But I'd do anything to steal a little time _

* * *

 

“I’m guessing your his Secret Santa,” Tony can’t help but remark as you stare at the painting in awe,  before shaking your head in confirmation. 

Tony had helped you find an old art piece from an old Brooklyn artist that Steve seemed to be fond of and while you had a placed a good chunk in to pay for it, Tony had put the rest, though he already understood what you were going for. 

“He’ll really love it,” Tony remarks as you turn and give him a wide grin that catches him off guard for a moment before he chuckles to himself. You’re confused for a moment before going back to staring at the painting. Later on, when you ask Tony how you were going to pay him back, he just shook his head vehemently. 

“Anything to make the old man happy,” Tony states with a smile, using the old nickname for Steve that you still don’t quite understand the story behind. However, as you thank him, Tony knows that you don’t understand that he meant _ you _ instead of the painting placed behind the two of you. 

Oh, if you only knew.

* * *

 

December 25th passes like a flash within your little group, as you all spend it in Tony’s Buffalo home. 

Everyone watches gifts being exchanged with screams and excitement on what could it be. Most of your friends realize who their Secret Santa is by the end of the night. However, as you scream over the two tickets and Steve looks with awestruck wonder at the painting hanging in Tony’s living room. Neither of you say anything --too scared over the potential of rejected feelings than anything else-- as the night moves forward. 

The two of you say goodnight to each other awkwardly. 

The rest of the group groans in annoyance and sets their own plans into motion.

* * *

 

Bucky gets the info that Steve didn’t want to bother you in your happiness over the tickets by telling you that it was him, he was happy seeing you smile from afar. Wanda gets it that you were confused over Steve’s silence over the painting, thinking that he didn’t like it so you decided to stay quiet about the whole thing. 

Tony groans in annoyance as he moves forward with finishing the plans for his annual New Year’s party.

* * *

 

It’s December 31st when you see Steve again, the craziness that comes with the end of year making it hard to see any of your friends until Tony’s party and while you had wished it was under better circumstances, you were also doing your best to avoid the man since the failure that came with your Christmas gift. His silence over the painting was something that stung you deeply. You knew a Steve that was already to debate and speak out about what bothered him -- you had seen it numerous times before when it came to politics or football, so to see him so quite shocked you. 

You ran and hide for the entire night, while also trying to find who exactly had given you those tickets -- such a precious thing since the band’s music had helped you through some tough times. So, it didn’t help that through the process of elimination, you came to realize that it might have been Steve. He had given such a nice gift and you had give him... _ that thing.  _

You hated yourself for it, stuck between hiding and wanting to kiss him for such a beautiful thing. 

It certainly didn’t help that he seemed to keep looking for you and he was a goddamn hound-dog when it came to it. Though, it wasn’t until the clock was close to midnight that you were able to catch your breath on the balcony overlooking the rest of Manhattan as the ball was close to dropping. Everyone inside was cheering the start of a new year, as certain song came up.

> _ I just hope you realize _ __  
>  _ That you know I believe in a thing called destiny _ __  
>  _ So please don’t   _ __  
>  _ Please don’t   _ _  
>  _ _ Please don’t _ _  
>  _ __ Don’t sleep on me

You gasp at the sound of a familiar song playing in the background of all the festivities, but instead of going back inside; you freeze at the sound of a certain voice: “It’s a good song, huh?”

You glance to your side to see a certain man in dark pants and a white shirt rolled up to his elbows as he seems more interested in swirling his drink before glancing to meet your eyes. He gives you a bashful smile before going back to looking at the city ready to enter the new year. 

“It is. I love a lot of their music,” you state softly, unsure of where all this could be going as Steve nods. 

“I’ve picked up a lot of their music recently,” Steve lets out an unsteady laugh, as your eyes widen just a but as you look at the blond, putting two and two together. 

“Does that mean you,” you let out softly as somewhere in the background the countdown begins, but you were unfolding something completely different,  “...gifted me the tickets to the concert?” 

“I know how much to love them,” Steve admits with a shake of his head and a swing of his drink, trying to get some courage to move forward with admitting a lot of things, “And I know how hard you took it when you couldn’t get those tickets in time.” 

“I...Thank you, Steve,” you grin, as the fireworks slowly begin to pop on the dark sky in front of you and for a moment you’re mesmerized by how the colors light up the blue in his eyes. 

“Anything for you, sweetheart,” Steve answers back softly, as he leans in a bit more for a second though your heart is going crazy at the new nickname he had just given you, “ Does that mean I’m right in guessing that you gave me the painting?” 

“Yeah, I even asked Tony for help,” you admit a bit embarrassed, “But you were so quiet, I didn’t...think you liked it.”

Steve has to look away and  laugh at this, as you give him a confused look:  _ “I loved it _ . I was just shocked is all. You don’t see one of those everyday.”

“Oh, that’s good,” is all you can really say, trying not to squirm underneath his gaze that seems to have changed slightly from the friendly blue eyes you are used to -- it was more intense than before.

“So, since we both worked really hard on each other’s presents,” Steve starts off and though he seems calm, his heart is thumping like crazy, “It’s safe to assume that this might be more than a friend thing, right?” 

Blue eyes keep watching you, as you nod meekly and unsure as he gives you the biggest grin. 

“So, if I asked you--”

It’s all Steve gets in before you nod and pepper his cheeks with kisses, as he places his hands on your hips and spins you for a brief moment, laughter echoing in the small balcony as the party keeps going on inside. 

And even though, Christmas had come a little late for you -- the new year was certainly looking better than ever. 


End file.
